Torvalds gives the thumbs up to SteamOS

Will help Linux get onto the desktop

Linus Torvalds has given his approval to Valve's Linux-based platform, SteamOS, and said it could boost Linux on desktops.

According to PC Pro, Torvalds praised Valve's "vision" and suggested it could lead to game developers ditching Windows and taking Linux seriously.

Speaking at LinuxCon in Edinburgh, Torvalds said that he loved the Steam announcements because it was a an opportunity to really help Linux get onto the desktop.

Valve will make the system available to manufacturers to use on their own hardware.

If the SteamOS gain traction among gamers and developers, hardware manufacturers will have to extend driver support beyond Windows.

Torvalds has been having a long running spat with Nvidia for failing to support open-source driver development for its graphics chips. However with SteamOS is on the way, Nvidia has opened up to the Linux community, something Torvalds predicts is a sign of things to come.

He said that it will force different distributors to realise if this is how Steam is going, they need to do the same thing because they can't afford to be different in this respect. They want people to play games on their platform too.

One of the reasons Linux hasn't done well on the desktop, according to Torvalds, is because developers focus on useless features.

He said that the desktop Linux lot wasted too much time in-fighting about making the login screen look really nice.